#DailyDevotion Our Chief Worship of Mammon Is Worry/Anxiety
Matt. 6:25-34 25“So I tell you, don’t worry about what you’ll eat or drink to keep alive or what you’ll wear on your bodies. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26Look at the birds in the air. They don’t sow or cut grain or gather anything into barns; but your Father in heaven feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? 27Can any of you by worrying add anything to your life? 28And why worry about clothes? See how the flowers grow in the field, and learn from them. They don’t work and they don’t spin. 29Yet, I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory didn’t dress like one of these. 30If that’s how God dresses the grass in the field, which lives today and tomorrow is thrown into a stove, how much more certainly will He put clothes on you — you who trust Him so little? 31Don’t worry, then, and say, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or, ‘What are we going to drink? or, ‘What are we going to wear?’ 32The people of the world run after all these things. Your Father in heaven knows you need them all. 33Seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you, too. 34So, don’t worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Oh, how I wish we all would take Jesus’ word here to heart. I hear finances is on of the top reasons for divorce. The hatred of God and worship of mammon causes so much trouble in our lives just as much but less obviously as alcohol, illicit sex, and drugs. Here Jesus shows us part of the chief rituals in the worship of mammon, worry. Jesus’ command to not worry about food and clothing contains a promise that follows. He demonstrates that animals don’t worry about food and fields don’t worry about clothes, yet the Father feeds and clothes both. You are worth more than them.
Jesus will show us just how much we are worth to the Father as he sacrifices his own son on the cross in the spot where Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac because he trusted in God’s promise of many descendants through Isaac. Think of the anguish Jesus was put through as he took our sins upon himself, as he took our guilt and our diseases into himself, the perfect and blemish free lamb, and is punished to take away our guilt and shame. That is how much you are worth to the Father. If he does all that to save you eternally, don’t you think he’ll take care of you temporally?
The people of the world, worshipers of mammon, worry and are anxious about such things and run after them. Your Father in heaven knows you need them all. He loves and cares for you. So what does Jesus say, “Seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you, too.” Well how do we do that? We confess our sin to God. We turn from those sins and turn to God who forgives us for Christ’s sake. We make amends wherever possible for the wrongs we have done others. We trust God not only for eternal life and the forgiveness of sins but also to provide us with daily bread. We become content with what we have and not be unhappy about what we don’t have. We concern ourselves with what is going on today and not with what may happen tomorrow (you might not even be here tomorrow). Listen to Paul in Phil. 4, “6Don’t worry about anything, but in everything go to God, and pray to let Him know what you want, and give thanks.” Peter tells us in 1 Pe. 5, “7Turn all your worry over to Him because He cares for you.” With these words from Jesus, Peter and Paul and trusting what Christ has done for us, don’t worry or be anxious about material needs. God will take care of you.
Heavenly Father, too often we pray for daily bread but don’t believe you will provide it. Forgive us for Jesus’ sake and give us faith to trust in your promise. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.